Weed Identification Pocket Guide

GUIDE
Cross Sector
Weed
ID guide
1
Contents
Introduction
How best to use this pocket guide 2
Weeds as alternative hosts to
pests and diseases 3
Importance of weed species in
each sector 3
Non-chemical weed control 3
Key features of weeds

Key features of weeds to aid identification 4
Broad-leaved weed seedlings 4
Grass weed seedlings 6
Identification groups key

Identification groups 1–26 8
Importance of each weed

Table 1. Relative importance of each
weed in each horticultural sector i
Non-chemical weed control

Table 2. Ease of non-chemical
weed control iv
Additional Information
Acknowledgements viii
0.A
2
Introduction
A pocket guide to aid the

identification of the most
widespread and economically
important weeds encountered
in the horticultural sector, this
publication covers mostly
broad-leaved weeds but also
some grasses, moss and liverwort.
How best to use this pocket guide

This guide is primarily an aid to weed seedling
identification to help growers choose the right
cultural or herbicidal control method. To correctly
identify a weed seedling, first read the section,
‘Key features of weeds’, as this will provide
a structured plan of how to approach the
identification process. Familiarisation with the
various parts of the seedling and checking the key
features is essential for correct identification.
The weeds are grouped (1–26), by common

features of the seedlings, so that this facilitates
quicker identification. Each weed has been
photographed at three stages of its development:
cotyledon, first/second true leaf and mature plant,
to allow it to be identified at all stages of growth.
When more detail is required about a specific

weed, each entry contains brief information about:
• Distribution in the UK
• Soil type preference
• Growth habit
• Competitiveness
• Method of spread
•S
eed number potential (the importance of not
allowing weeds to seed)
• Longevity in the soil
•T
he importance of the flower as a source of
pollen or nectar for beneficial insects.
3
Weeds as alternative hosts to

pests and diseases
The importance of good weed control reaches
beyond reducing plant competition, delaying
maturity and reducing quality of a commercial
crop, to include weeds being alternative hosts for
pest and diseases. Specialised pathogens usually
have a restricted host range and affect only one
or a few species or cultivars. Downy mildew, for
example, on cruciferous weeds is unlikely to affect
Brassica crops. Non-specialised pathogens affect
a wide range of genera and species. Diseases
caused by fungi such as grey mould (Botrytis
cinerea) or white mould (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
affect many weeds given suitable conditions and
would pose a threat to broad-leaved crops in
which they were growing. Grey mould develops
where weeds have been scorched by herbicides
or have wilted.
This pocket guide provides details of a wide range
of pests and diseases hosted on weeds that
can be potentially harmful to crops grown in the
horticultural sector. This is not an exhaustive list.
Importance of weed species in each sector

At the end of this pocket guide table 1 illustrates
the importance of each weed within the various
horticultural sectors, namely: soft fruit, tree fruit,
bedding plants, nursery stock and field vegetables.
Non-chemical weed control

Table 2 illustrates the ease of controlling weeds
at the early stages of growth with non-chemical
methods, such as flame weeding, brush weeders,
mechanical row crop weeders, stale seedbeds and
hand weeding.
4
Key features of weeds
Key features of weeds to aid identification
Primary considerations:
• Is the weed to be identified either a grass
or a broad-leaved weed?
Features to aid identification of both are dealt
with separately below
• What size is the weed?
If the weed is mature and flowering, the flower
colour and plant habit are immediate recognition
features that can be identified from the
photographs in this pocket guide.
Broad-leaved weed seedlings

The primary leaves that emerge from the seed
are called the cotyledons. The first and then the
second true leaves follow. The size and shape
of the cotyledons and the first true leaves are
fundamental early identification features, along
with other distinctive features.
The seedling stem is the hypocotyl, which varies
in length and colour.
Diagram 1
Leaves alternate
Petiole
Leaves opposite
Cotyledons opposite
Hypocotyl
5
Looking at the weed, what are its most striking

features?
What is the cotyledon shape?

• Pointed
• Long and narrow
• Oval or round.
Are the cotyledons large or small?
Are they close to the ground or up from it?
Are there other distinctive markings on the

cotyledons or true leaves?
• Notched tips
• Backwardly directed lobes
• Hairs.
The hypocotyl:
• Is it long?
• What colour is it?
The first true leaves:

• What shape are they?
• What size are they?
• What colour are they?
• What texture are they – hairy, soft?
• Other distinctive features?
Distinguishing features from similar weeds are

also mentioned. The order of the photographs in
this pocket guide follows the above sequence of
recognition features.
6
Grass weed seedlings
Seedlings of grass weeds in this guide can be
identified from the:
• First leaf shape, length and direction of twist.
Young and mature grasses in this guide can be

identified by the:
•L
eaf blade: Colour, shape, twisting, hairiness,
ribbing or tramlines, shape at the tip
•A
uricles: Small claw-like feature at the junction
of the leaf sheath and blade
• Ligules: Membranous extension at the junction
of the leaf sheath and blade (Diagram 2 below)
•L
eaves may be folded or rolled in the stem
(Diagram 3 overleaf)
• Rhizomes: Underground stem bearing buds in
axils of reduced scale-like leaves. Present or
absent.
Diagram 2
Blade
Collar region
Ligule
Auricles
Sheath
7
Diagram 3
Leaves may be folded (top) or rolled (bottom) in the stem.

8
Identification groups
key
The broad-leaved weeds are placed into
24 groups to aid identification.
The groups are kept intentionally small to allow
easy identification within any one group.
Group 25 includes four miscellaneous species,
including moss and liverwort, that are very readily
identifiable problems in a horticultural situation.
Group 26 covers grass weed species commonly
encountered in UK horticulture.
The features of the weed you wish to identify will
give you a guide as to which group your weed is
in. Start with the cotyledons, then the hypocotyl,
followed by the first true leaf. Work your way
down the groups until your weed matches the
description for that group.
Identification groups 1–26
Group 1
Cotyledons oval with a pointed or rounded tip;
hypocotyl long; first true leaves entire and hairy
or the leaf stalk alone hairy
Common chickweed
Stellaria media 1.A
Redshank
Persicaria maculosa 1.B
Pale persicaria
Persicaria lapathifolia 1.C
Group 2
Cotyledons oval with a pointed or rounded tip;
hypocotyl short; first true leaves entire and hairy
Common mouse-ear chickweed
Cerastium fontanum 2.A
White campion
Silene latifolia 2.B
9
Group 3
otyledons round to oval, some with a shallow
C
indent at the tip; first true leaves entire and hairy
Corn mint
Mentha arvensis 3.A
Hairy bitter-cress
Cardamine hirsuta 3.B
Field pansy
Viola arvensis 3.C
Canadian fleabane
Conyza canadensis 3.D
Group 4
Cotyledons with backwardly-directed lobes
at the base
Common hemp-nettle
Galeopsis tetrahit 4.A
Henbit dead-nettle
Lamium amplexicaule 4.B
Red dead-nettle
Lamium purpureum 4.C
Group 5
First true leaves are very narrow and usually with
several lateral lobes or teeth
Corn marigold
Galeopsis segetum 5.A
Corn chamomile
Anthemis arvensis 5.B
Scentless mayweed
Tripleurospermum inodorum 5.C
Pineappleweed
Matricaria discoides 5.D
Group 6
Cotyledons are kidney or heart-shaped, large with
pronounced indent at the tip
Charlock
Sinapis arvensis 6.A
Oilseed rape
Brassica napus ssp. oleifera 6.B
Wild radish (Runch)
Raphanus raphanistrum 6.C
Field bindweed
Convolvulus arvensis 6.D
10
Group 7
Cotyledons very long and narrow
Knot-grass
Polygonum 7.A
Corn spurrey
Spergula arvensis 7.B
Common fumitory
Fumaria officinalis 7.C
Group 8
Cotyledons between three and eight times as long
as broad; first true leaves entire; hypocotyl long
Black bindweed
Fallopia convolvulus 8.A
Fat hen
Chenopodium album 8.B
Common orache
Atriplex patula 8.C
Group 9
Cotyledons large and fleshy; first true leaves with
spiny or prickly margins
Creeping thistle
Cirsium arvense 9.A
Group 10
First true leaves with downwardly-directed teeth on
the margins
Dandelion
Taraxacum 10.A
Perennial Sow-thistle
Sonchus arvensis 10.B
Annual Sow-thistle
Sonchus spp. 10.C
Group 11
Cotyledons are narrow; first leaves entire but later
ones entire or shallowly-toothed or with wavy
margins or with a single pair of deep lobes at the
base; hypocotyl short
Docks
Rumex spp. 11.A
Groundsel
Senecio vulgaris 11.B
11
Group 12
Cotyledons oval to long oval; first true leaves entire
and hairless
Common sorrel
Rumex acetosa 12.A
Shepherd’s-purse
Capsella bursa-pastoris 12.B
Wild mignonette
Reseda lutea 12.C
Field penny-cress
Thlaspi arvense 12.D
Common amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus 12.E
Petty spurge
Euphorbia peplus 12.F
Group 13
Cotyledons sharply pointed; first true leaves entire
and hairless
Procumbent pearlwort
Sagina procumbens 13.A
Scarlet pimpernel
Anagallis arvensis 13.B
Group 14
Cotyledons hairy; first true leaves entire and hairy
Bugloss
Anchusa arvensis 14.A
Black nightshade
Solanum nigrum 14.B
Field forget-me-not
Myosotis arvensis 14.C
Group 15
Cotyledons oval or rounded; first true leaf hairy
with wavy or shallowly irregular margins
Nipplewort
Lapsana communis 15.A
Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua 15.B
12
Group 16
True leaves with stinging hairs on the upper
surface
Small nettle
Urtica urens 16.A
Group 17
Cotyledon stalks as long as or longer than the
blade; first true leaves hairy and lobed or toothed
Ivy-leaved speedwell
Veronica hederifolia 17.A
Cleavers
Galium aparine 17.B
Common mallow
Malva sylvestris 17.C
Group 18
Cotyledons hairless; first true leaves deeply lobed
Parsley-piert
Aphanes arvensis 18.A
Fool’s parsley
Aethusa cynapium 18.B
Creeping buttercup
Ranunculus repens 18.C
Group 19
Cotyledons shaped like spades; first true leaves
in opposite pairs with the margins shallowly and
regularly notched, usually hairy
Common field-speedwell
Veronica persica 19.A
Group 20
Cotyledons narrow; first true leaves entire, later
ones divided often deeply into several lobes
Common poppy
Papaver rhoeas 20.A
Group 21
First leaves woolly-hairy and toothed
Colt’s-foot
Tussilago farfara 21.A
13
Group 22
Cotyledons broader than long and asymmetrical;
stalks long and hairy
Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill
Geranium molle 22.A
Group 23
Cotyledons as broad as long; first true leaf entire
and hairless
Willowherbs
Epilobium spp. 23.A
Creeping yellow-cress
Rorippa sylvestris 23.B
Group 24
The first true leaf is composed of two or three leaflets;
cotyledons round-oval or remain below the ground
Procumbent yellow-sorrel
Oxalis corniculata 24.A
Common vetch
Vicia sativa 24.B
Group 25
Miscellaneous weeds of importance in horticulture
that are easily identifiable
Goat willow
Salix caprea 25.A
Field horsetail
Equisetum arvense 25.B
Mosses
eg Funaria hygrometrica 25.C
Liverwort
Marchantia polymorpha 25.D
Group 26
Grass weeds can be competitive at the early
stages of crop growth and control may depend
on correct identification. Three species of grasses
are considered important enough to be included
Annual meadow-grass
Poa annua 26.A
Common couch
Elytrigia repens 26.B
Wild-oat
Avena fatua 26.C
Seed germination profile
Flowering profile
Cotyledons oval with a

pointed or rounded tip;
hypocotyl long; first true
leaves entire and hairy or
the leaf stalk alone hairy
1
Introduction
16 1.A
Common chickweed
Stellaria media
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Flowering profile
The intensity of shading illustrates the frequency of flowering or germination within that month, eg the paler the shading the less frequent.
17
Features to aid identification at early stage

of growth
• Cotyledons oval, pointed
• Hypocotyl long, reddish-purple in colour
• First true leaves are oval, pointed, pairs at right
angles to preceding leaves
• Light bright green colour.
Significant features of the weed

• Troublesome annual, extremely widespread weed
on mainly friable, aerated, well-watered soils
throughout the UK
• Easily controlled when hoed in hot dry weather
and left on the surface
• Shallow germination (<3cm) in autumn and spring
• Forms a dense mat, choking plants as it spreads
rapidly, followed by flowering and seed set
• Flowers almost all year round, producing up to
15,000 seeds per plant
• Flowers provide an important pollen or nectar
source for hoverflies.
Hosts for pest or disease

•W
itches’ broom (Melampsorella
caryophyllacearum) of Abies species
•S
eeds implicated in spread of cucumber
mosaic virus
•L
ettuce mosaic virus
•T
obacco rattle virus of various bulbous
ornamentals
•S
tatutory pest South American leaf miner
(Liriomyza huidobrensis)
•G
lasshouse leafhopper (Hauptidia maroccana)
and glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes
vaporariorum)
•T
wo-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus
urticae) and western flower thrip (Frankliniella
occidentalis)
•S
hallot aphid (Myzus ascalonicus)
•B
ud and leaf nematode (Aphelenchoides
ritzemabosi)
•S
tem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci).
Common chickweed
1.A
Stellaria media
18 1.B
Persicaria maculosa
Redshank
Flowering profile
19
Features to aid identification

at early stage of growth
• Cotyledons oval, dark green tinged with red,
parallel with the ground
• Hypocotyl long and bright scarlet
• First true leaves lance shaped, broadest in the
middle of the leaf, smooth, sparsely hairy on
veins and margin only
• Similar to Pale persicaria but has narrow first true
leafs with more hair.

• Common annual weed of arable land, particularly
damp but well aerated loams and sandy soils
rich in nutrients and nitrogen. Distributed
throughout the UK
• Older leaves may have a black blotch in the
centre of the blade
• Upright growth habit with small spikes of pink
seed-like flowers
• Can be particularly troublesome in Brassica
crops
• Germination mainly from 1–4cm depth but can
emerge from 7cm; long seed survival in soil
• Can produce 200–800 seeds per plant
• Flowers can provide an important pollen or
nectar source for hoverflies.

•N
one known.
Redshank
1.B
Persicaria maculosa
20 1.C
Persicaria lapathifolia
Pale persicaria
Flowering profile
21

• Cotyledons oval with rounded tip to leaf
• Hypocotyl long and bright scarlet
• First true leaves oval to lance shaped, long,
markedly silver with hairs on underside
• Redshank is similar but lacks silver colour and
hair number.

• Common annual weed of arable land, particularly
damper soils in England and Wales but rarer in
Scotland
• An upright growing habit bearing greenish-white
to pink flowers
• Prefers fresh humus, loose, nutrient-rich loams
and sandy loam soils with slight acidity
• Germination from 0–4cm depth
• Can produce 800–850 seeds per plant.

•N
one known.
Pale persicaria
1.C
Persicaria lapathifolia
Flowering profile
Cotyledons oval with a

pointed or rounded tip;
hypocotyl short; first true
leaves entire and hairy
2
1
24 2.A
Common mouse-ear
Cerastium fontanum
chickweed
Flowering profile
25

• Cotyledons round-oval, rounded at the tip
• First true leaves oval, pointed, dark green
and hairy
• Common chickweed is similar but the cotyledons
are pointed and not hairy.

• A vigorous spreading low perennial with
small white flowers that can choke young
plants and affect quality
• Grows on a range of soil types
• A common weed in nurseries, particularly in
final production; establishing itself in gravel or
sandbeds and spreading on cutting material,
reused pots and trays
• Shallow germination (<3cm) long seed survival
in soil (40 years)
• Can produce 1,200 seeds per plant
• Flowers can provide an important pollen or
nectar source for hoverflies.

•W
itches’ broom (Melampsorella
caryophyllacearum) of Abies species
•S eeds implicated in spread of cucumber
mosaic virus
•B ud and leaf nematode (Aphelenchoides
ritzemabosi)
•S tem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci).
Common mouse-ear
chickweed
2.A
Cerastium fontanum
26 2.B
White campion
Silene latifolia
Flowering profile
27

• Cotyledons narrow oval, large and pointed,
gradually tapering into the stalk
• First true leaves oval to lance-shaped and long,
hairy, blue-green
• Later leaves become stalk-like at the base.

• An erect annual or biennial with large white
flowers that have a distinctive calyx behind the
petals
• A common weed except on the west coast,
in patches usually in nitrogen-rich soils that
are never waterlogged or dry out completely,
abundant on light calcareous or sandy soils
• Shallow germination (<3cm)
• Reproduction possible from fragmentation
of roots
• Can produce 5,000–15,000 seeds per plant.

•C
arnation rust (Uromyces dianthi) forms
uredinia and telia on Dianthus, Arenaria,
Butonia, Gysophilia, Lychinis, Saponaria,
Tunica and Silene.
White campion
2.B
Silene latifolia
Cotyledons round to oval,
some with a shallow indent
at the tip; first true leaves
entire and hairy
3
2
30 3.A
Mentha arvensis
Corn mint
Flowering profile
31

• Cotyledons broadly-rounded, triangular
• First true leaves oval and pointed, with
short stalks produced in pairs often tinged
in purple and hairy
• Smells of peppermint when crushed.

• A bushy perennial with small purple flowers
produced in whorls or rings up the stem
• Produces fleshy runners above and below
ground
• A widespread weed of arable land particularly
poor heavy acid soil types in cool damp
situations, rarer in Scotland
• Can survive for long periods without moisture
• Can produce 5,000 seeds per plant.

•N
one known.
Corn mint
3.A
Mentha arvensis
32 3.B
Hairy bitter-cress
Cardamine hirsuta
Flowering profile
33

• Cotyledons oval with long stalks
• First true leaves kidney shaped, hairy
• Later leaves on long stalks with pairs of leaflets,
lobed.

• A common annual, sometimes biennial, with
white to pale violet flowers
• Found throughout Britain
• Troublesome in container-grown nursery stock
• Seed is dispersed by exploding seed pods and
on cutting material
• Can complete its life cycle in five to six weeks
• Prefers fresh, often shaded humus, moderately
acid sandy loams and milder winters
• Can produce up to 600 seeds per plant
• Seeds can survive a severe frost.

•N
one known.
Hairy bitter-cress
3.B
Cardamine hirsuta
34 3.C
Field pansy
Viola arvensis
Flowering profile
35

• Cotyledons oval, broad, dark green, indented
at the tip
• First true leaves broadly rounded at the tip and
toothed margin
• Later leaves broad with lobes, slightly hairy,
prominent hairy leaf stalks
• Later leaves initially rolled and open one at a
time, not in pairs
• Common speedwell is similar but is larger and
lacks hairs.

• An annual of upright tufted appearance with
small yellow or purple flowers
• An increasingly common weed found on most
soil types throughout the UK
• Very shallow germination mainly in the spring
and autumn

•T
obacco rattle virus of various bulbous
ornamentals
•G
round weevil (Barynotus obscurus)
•V
iolet leaf midge (Dasineura affinis)
•V
iola sawfly (Protemphytus pallipes)
•P
ythium violae – cause of cavity spot in carrots.
Field pansy
3.C
Viola arvensis
36 3.D
Canadian fleabane
Conyza canadensis
Flowering profile
37

• Cotyledons oval, narrowed into stalk
• First true leaves oval and markedly stalked
• Later leaves oval and narrowed into stalk,
short hairs.

• A biennial, initially forming a leaf rosette in the
first year, becoming erect (one metre tall) with
densely clustered reddish or yellowish-white
flowers in a profusely branched terminal panicle
in the second year
• Widely distributed on lighter undisturbed soils
(the overwintering rosettes are destroyed by
cultivation)
• Prefers rough, stony, sandy or loam soils that are
fairly nitrogenous; tolerates drought
• Germinates mainly in the spring and autumn

•N
one known.
Canadian fleabane
3.D
Conyza canadensis
Cotyledons with
backwardly-directed
lobes at the base
4
3
40 4.A
Common hemp-nettle
Galeopsis tetrahit
Flowering profile
41

• Cotyledons oval to round, large with
backward-directed lobes at the base
of the leaf blade
• First true leaves oval pointed, markedly
toothed, veined and hairy, light green.

• An upright annual with square hairy stems
and rings of purple flowers at the top
• A common weed throughout the UK that
prefers cool damp conditions
• Prefers well-aerated, well-watered soils
not deficient in nutrients
• Seed capable of germinating only after
overwintering and will not survive in the soil
for many years
• Shallow germinating at 1–4cm
• Can produce approximately 2,800 seeds
per plant.

•S
tems host eggs of common green capsid
(Lygocoris pabulinus).
Common hemp-nettle
4.A
Galeopsis tetrahit
42 4.B
Henbit dead-nettle
Lamium amplexicaule
Flowering profile
43

• Cotyledons round with backward-directed
lobes at base of leaf, standing well away from
the ground, horizontal
• First true leaves indented with prominent
branched lobes, dark green and hairy
• Similar to Red dead-nettle but Henbit dead-nettle
has paler, glossier and rounder leaves.

• Annual or overwintered annual with bushy
branched stem with small purple flowers
• A common weed of cultivated land on the east
side of the country, particularly on light, sandy
loams rich in nutrients
• Shallow germination
• Can produce 200 seeds per plant.

•S
mosaic virus
•S
Henbit dead-nettle
4.B
Lamium amplexicaule
44 4.C
Red dead-nettle
Lamium purpureum
Flowering profile
45

• Cotyledons round, borne on long stalks, with
a notch at the base of the leaf
• Leaf stalks nearly vertical making this seedling
stand away from the ground
• First true leaves oval in outline, evenly notched
with prominent branched veins, hairy
• Later leaves narrow, with numerous lobes, shiny,
strong aromatic smell
• Similar to Henbit dead-nettle but darker green.
The cotyledons of Red dead-nettle appear more
rigid and horizontal.

• Annual or biennial weed of erect habit bearing
small red flowers for most of the year
• A widespread weed that prefers loose,
nutrient-rich, sandy loam soils
• Germinating at 0.5–2cm depth
• Seedlings are frost tolerant
• Can produce 200 seeds per plant.

•S
Red dead-nettle
4.C
Lamium purpureum
First true leaves are very
narrow and usually with
several lateral lobes or teeth
5
4
48 5.A
Corn marigold
Glebionis segetum
Flowering profile
49

• Cotyledons oval, medium size, carried well
above the ground
• Hypocotyl long, light bluish-green
• First true leaves narrow with teeth (like
mayweeds) but variable, fleshy, waxy and
bluish-green
strong aromatic smell.

• An upright annual with bright yellow daisy-like
flowers
• A locally common weed in southern England
that likes damp, acid or lime-free periodically
waterlogged soils with mild winters
• Troublesome weed in patches in early polythene
covered carrots but easily controlled by liming

•N
one known.
Corn marigold
5.A
Glebionis segetum
50 5.B
Corn chamomile
Anthemis arvensis
Flowering profile
51

• Cotyledons oval, tip rounded
• First true leaves narrow with narrow club-shaped
lateral lobes, slightly hairy.

• An annual, profusely branched with large leaves
• A common weed of cultivated lighter land, mainly
on acid loams and sandy soils in southern and
central England
• Tolerates dry conditions and is frost hardy
• Long seed survival in the soil

•N
ymphs of potato capsid (Calocoris
norvegicus)
•S
everal thrips species will feed on pollen grains.
Corn chamomile
5.B
Anthemis arvensis
52 5.C
Tripleurospermum inodorum
Scentless mayweed
Flowering profile
53

• Cotyledons oval, very small, stalkless,
close to the ground
• First true leaves very narrow with several lobes
• Later leaves are narrow, very finely divided,
shiny
• Similar to Pineappleweed but the terminal lobes
of Scentless mayweed are shorter and broader.

• An upright bushy annual with daisy-like flowers,
almost scentless when crushed
• The most common of the Mayweeds, likes
warm conditions
• Found throughout the UK on all soil types and
troublesome in spring-drilled crops
• Can produce 10,000–34,000 seeds per plant
• Flowers provide a pollen or nectar source for
hoverflies and beetles.

•B
lack bean aphid (Aphis fabae)
•N ymphs of potato capsids (Calocoris
norvegicus)
•S tem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci)
•C ommon green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
and tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis)
on strawberries.
Scentless mayweed
5.C
Tripleurospermum inodorum
54 5.D
Pineappleweed
Matricaria discoides
Flowering profile
55

• Cotyledons oval, pointed, convex above, very
small, close to the ground
• First true leaves narrow with few lobes (often two)
strong aromatic smell
• Similar to other Mayweeds but first true leaves
of Pineappleweed have fewer lobes and the
stalks of later leaves are broader than those
of other Mayweeds.

• An upright bushy annual, differing from other
Mayweeds in that the flowers have no white
petals and consist of raised yellow domes only
• A common weed of arable land, particularly in
gateways and on headlands, but troublesome in
spring-drilled crops like leeks
• Forms dense mat, choking plants as it spreads

•S
tem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci)
•C
ommon green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
and tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis)
on strawberries.
Pineappleweed
5.D
Matricaria discoides
Cotyledons are kidney or
heart-shaped, large with
pronounced indent at the tip
6
5
58 6.A
Sinapis arvensis
Charlock
Flowering profile
59

• Cotyledons kidney-shaped, large, medium length
• Nearly vertical cotyledon stalks carry the blades
of the cotyledons well away from the ground
• Hypocotyl short
• First true leaves with irregular indentations,
broad, rounded at the tip, with scattered stiff
bristly hairs
• Similar to White mustard, Black mustard and
Wild radish, but germination period differs for
Wild radish.

• A vigorous competitive upright annual with yellow
flowers
• Especially common in Brassica crops
• Extensive root system that develops quickly so
early control is important
• Seedlings readily killed by frost
• Germination mostly from 4–5cm depth
• Seeds capable of long-term survival in the soil
(60+ years)
• Can produce approximately 1,200 seeds per plant

•C lubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae)
• Alternaria brassicae and Alternaria brassicicola
• Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica)
• Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris)
• Cauliflower mosaic virus
• Strawberry black spot (Colletotrichum acutatum)
• Pollen beetle (Meligethes spp.) breed in flowers
• Peach-potato aphid (Myzus persicae)
• Mealy cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae)
• Cabbage seed weevil and cabbage stem weevil
• F
lea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.)
• C
abbage white caterpillars
• Turnip gall weevil (Ceutorhynchus pleurostigma).
Charlock
6.A
Sinapis arvensis
60 6.B
Brassica napus ssp. oleifera

Oilseed rape
Flowering profile
61

• Cotyledons kidney-shaped, tip deeply indented,
gradually narrowing into stalk
• First true leaves oval with indented margins,
blue-grey
• Is similar to Charlock but has a broad rounded tip
to the first true leaves and shallow indentations of
the leaf margins.

• A volunteer weed that is a particular problem to
control in all Brassica crops
• Very deep rooted once established
• Flowers and seeds will contaminate produce
• Will germinate from up to 4cm below soil level
• Seeds can survive for long periods in the soil
• Can produce up to 1,200 seeds per plant.

•S
tem canker (Phoma lingam – Leptosphaeria
maculans)
•A
lternaria brassicae and Alternaria brassicicola
•D
owny mildew (Peronospora parasitica)
•L
ight leaf spot (Pyrenopeziza brassicae)
•T
urnip mosaic virus
•C
auliflower mosaic virus
•B
eet western yellows virus
•W
hite mould/stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
•C
lubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae)
•F
•C
abbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes
chrysocephala)
•C
abbage stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus
pallidactylus)
•P
each-potato aphid (Myzus persicae)
•C
abbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae).
Oilseed rape
6.B
Brassica napus ssp. oleifera

62 6.C
Wild radish (Runch)

Raphanus raphanistrum
Flowering profile
63

• Cotyledons kidney-shaped, large, medium-length,
stalks carry the cotyledon blades away from the
ground, purplish tone
• Hypocotyl short, purple
• First true leaves oval outline, indented, rough,
may be pointed
• Later leaves have several independent lobes at
the base of the leaf
• Similar to Charlock but the cotyledons are not as
large. The purplish tone and roughness of Wild
radish distinguish it.

• An upright annual with white flowers,
troublesome in Brassica crops
• Likes nutrient-rich but lime-free sandy and loam
soils, acid soil indicator
• Shallow germination in the spring
• Seedlings may be killed by frost
• Can produce approximately 160 seeds per plant.

•M
ealy cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae)
•D
owny mildew (Peronospora parasitica)
•S
tem canker (Phoma lingam – Leptosphaeria
maculans).
Wild radish (Runch)

6.C
Raphanus raphanistrum
64 6.D
Convolvulus arvensis
Field bindweed
Flowering profile
65

• Cotyledons heart-shaped, large with pronounced
indent at the tip
• First true leaves arrow-shaped with pointed lobes
at the base, dark green and shiny, may be rolled
at the edges.

• A climbing perennial with funnel-shaped pink
or pink and white flowers, singly or in clusters,
along the stem
• A persistent and troublesome weed that twines
around other plants
• Not a widespread weed but can be propagated
by root fragments being spread across the field
during cultivation
• Prefers dry, warm, deep, loose loam soils
• Can germinate all through the year
• Can produce up to 550 seeds per plant.

•V
iolet root rot (Helicobasidium purpureum)
•S
(Lygocoris pabulinus)
•S
•S
everal thrips species will feed on pollen
grains.
Field bindweed
6.D
Convolvulus arvensis
Cotyledons very long
and narrow
7
6
68 7.A
Knot-grass
Polygonum
Flowering profile
69

• Cotyledons narrow and long, thick fleshy,
set at a 40 degree angle in elevation and not
directly opposing each other
• Hypocotyl long and reddish
• First true leaf is lance-shaped, broad at the
base, long
• Similar to Fat hen but Knot-grass lacks the mealy
surface of cotyledons and leaves. Fat hen leaves
are opposite and parallel to the ground.
Knot-grass differs from Pale persicaria and
Redshank by the narrower cotyledons.

• An annual that develops long stems with a
prostrate, wiry growth habit
• Troublesome and widespread weed of mainly
spring-sown crops such as leeks
• Thrives on nitrogenous humus loams as well as
sandy soils
• Dislikes even occasionally waterlogged or poorly
aerated soils
• Shallow germination, dormancy broken by low
temperatures
• Pink or white flowers produce 125–200 seeds
per plant

•S
trawberry black spot (Colletotrichum
acutatum)
•S
Knot-grass
7.A
Polygonum
70 7.B
Spergula arvensis
Corn spurrey
Flowering profile
71

• Cotyledons needle-shaped, fleshy, circular in
cross section, 10–15mm long
• First true leaves needle-shaped but longer than
cotyledons, upright, arising as clusters along the
stem, grass green
• May be mistaken superficially for Annual
meadow-grass.

• An annual of straggling upright growth with small
white flowers
• Found more often on light, acidic, well-watered
soils in northern and western regions
• Acid soil indicator
• Shallow germinating from 0.5–3cm mainly in the
spring
• Can produce anything from 1,000–10,000 seeds
per plant

•S
mosaic virus.
Corn spurrey
7.B
Spergula arvensis
72 7.C
Common fumitory
Fumaria officinalis
Flowering profile
73

• Cotyledons are narrow, very long, light
blue-green
• Hypocotyl long and pink
• First true leaves much divided with leaflets,
blue-green
• Later leaves have pronounced irregular outline.

• An annual with pale green feathery leaves and
small purple flowers
• A common weed of arable land particularly of
light soils in drier eastern regions but rare on clay
• An indicator of good soil conditions when it
appears in abundance
• Seeds germinate from between 4–9cm with few
from top 3cm

•N
one known.
Common fumitory
7.C
Fumaria officinalis
Cotyledons are between
three and eight times
as long as broad; first
true leaves entire;
hypocotyl long
8
7
76 8.A
Black bindweed
Fallopia convolvulus
Flowering profile
77

• Cotyledons oval long and reddish green,
uniformly broad, underside often red
• Hypocotyl long and crimson
• First true leaves heart-shaped with rounded
lobes at the base, reddish-green and shiny
• Later leaves tightly rolled
• Similar to Fat hen and Orache but they have
smaller cotyledons and the first true leaves have
a mealy appearance.

• Deep rooted climbing annual unaffected by
drought
• Small inconspicuous whitish green flower (unlike
the white of Field bindweed). Widespread in
spring crops, especially on acid soils
• Germination from 0.5–4cm depth late in the
season

•S
•S
Black bindweed
8.A
Fallopia convolvulus
78 8.B
Chenopodium album
Fat hen
Flowering profile
79

• Cotyledons fleshy, much longer than wide, mealy
white, purplish underside, stalk absent, flat to
the ground
• Hypocotyl slender, medium length (1cm), purplish
• First true leaves oblong, mealy with toothed
margins, purplish underside
• Later leaf shape is variable
• Similar to Orache but Orache seedlings have
broader, thinner leaves and lack the purplish
colour on both hypocotyl and the underside of
cotyledons and leaves.

• A branching annual of erect habit (up to one metre
tall) with dense clusters of small green flowers
• A very competitive widespread weed, common
on arable land that removes great quantities of
nutrient from the soil
• Can germinate close to the surface or from
depth (8cm)
• Can produce anything from 3,000–20,000 seeds
per plant.

•F
ood source for aphid predator the common
earwig (Forficula auricularia)
•M
ay act as host for black-bean aphid (Aphis
fabae) a carrier of beet mosaic virus (BMV)
•C
•S
everal capsid and leafhopper species.
Fat hen
8.B
Chenopodium album
80 8.C
Common orache
Atriplex patula
Flowering profile
81

• Cotyledons long, narrow, mealy, pale green,
stalk absent, upright
• Hypocotyl long, pinkish green
• First true leaves long and narrow, mealy, green
with little purple colouring, two distinct teeth at
the base
• Leaf buds mealy
• Later leaf shape is variable, toothed
• Similar to fat hen. The cotyledons and first true
leaves of fat hen appear thinner than those of
Orache and are on a short stalk. Cotyledons
of Orache are more upright. Orache lack the
intense purple colouration.

• A annual with a generally prostrate habit and very
long horizontally spreading lateral branches
• Found throughout the UK on all soil types
• Can slow harvesting operations by tangling with
the crop
• A nutrient-rich soil indicator plant that prefers
nutritive, loose, loamy soils
• Seed may survive for up to 30 years in the soil
• Can produce between 100–12,000 seeds per
plant.

•N
one known.
Common orache
8.C
Atriplex patula
Cotyledons are large and
fleshy; first true leaves with
spiny or prickly margins
9
8
84 9.A
Creeping thistle
Cirsium arvense
Flowering profile
85

• Cotyledons oval, fairly large and fleshy
• First true leaves oval with sharp spines and
triangular indentations
• Later leaves light green.

• An upright deep rooted perennial with clusters
of purple flowers on top of tall stems, found on
most soils
• Troublesome weed in intensive Brassica
production
• A late-emerging persistent, aggressive plant that
can spread by seed and as a result of fragment
regeneration of root pieces >5cm during tillage
of soil
• Prefers fairly dry, lighter, aerated, deep loam soils
• Shallow germination (<2cm) all through the year
• Working a stale seedbed at three weekly
intervals throughout a season will reduce root
regeneration by 99%

•V
•N
norvegicus)
•G
arden swift moth (Hepialus lupulinus)
•N
umerous aphid species and a reservoir
of several important viruses, such as beet
western yellows virus.
Creeping thistle
9.A
Cirsium arvense
First true leaves with
downwardly-directed teeth
on the margins
10
9
88 10.A
Dandelion
Taraxacum
Flowering profile
89

• Cotyledons oval, mostly short stalked
• First true leaves oval, dark, shiny green and
hairless, margins have backwardly (downwardly)
facing teeth
• Similar to Perennial sow-thistle, which also has
backwardly-directed teeth but is bluish-green.

• A perennial with strong deep tap roots that
covers the ground very densely, therefore
competitive
• Bright yellow flowers
• Spread by seed and regeneration of small
fragments of broken root
• Abundant everywhere
• Can produce 200 seeds per plant in the spring
and occasionally again in the autumn
• Seeds eaten by carabid beetles.

•S
•G
arden tiger moth (Arctia caja)
•S
wift moths (Hepialus lupulinus and H. humuli)
tunnel into roots
•F
lowers attract pollen beetles (Meligethes spp.).
Dandelion
10.A
Taraxacum
90 10.B
Sonchus arvensis
Flowering profile
91

• Cotyledons oval, medium sized, smooth, reddish
purple on the margins and light green in colour,
purple hues beneath, close to the ground
• First true leaves round oval with downwardly-
directed teeth at the margins, few thick white hairs
• Similar to seedlings of various other Annual
sow-thistle spp.

• A tall upright perennial with large bright yellow
flowers, widely distributed on a range of soil types
• Likes fresh to wet, heavy deep loams and clay
soils rich in nitrates and humus
• Spread mainly by root fragments when the crop
is hoed, only partially by seed
• Repeated cultivation early in the season will
arrest root development and limit spread
• Shallow germination approximately 0.5–3cm depth
• Can produce up to 10,000 seeds per plant

•V iolet root rot (Helicobasidium purpureum)
•L ettuce mosaic virus
•B lack-bean aphid (Aphis fabae), a carrier of
beet mosaic virus
• Statutory pest South American leaf miner
(Liriomyza huidobrensis)
• Glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum)
•C hrysanthemum leaf miner (Phytomyza
syngenesiae)
• Lettuce root aphid (Pemphigus bursarius)
•B ud and leaf nematode (Aphelenchoides
ritzemabosi)
•C ommon green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
•B lackcurrant-Sow-thistle aphid (Hypermyzus
lactucae)
•G ooseberry-Sow-thistle aphid (Hyperomyzus
pallidus)
•T hrips species will feed on pollen grains.
10.B
Sonchus arvensis
92 10.C
Annual Sow-thistle
Sonchus spp.
Flowering profile
93

• Cotyledons oval, medium sized, smooth,
reddish purple on margins and light green in
colour, purple hues beneath, close to the ground
• First true leaves round-oval on a long stalk, with
downwardly-directed teeth at the margins absent
on Smooth Sow-thistle
• Later leaves broader than Perennial Sow-thistle.

• Upright annuals with yellow flowers smaller than
• Can be difficult to hand weed due to the strong
tap root
• Common weeds of cultivated land and field margins,
occasional on nurseries where weeds allowed to set
seed on perimeter areas and old stock
• Prefers warm conditions, nitrogenous, light loams
or sandy or stony soils and not too dry

•V
•L
ettuce mosaic virus
•B
lack-bean aphid (Aphis fabae), a carrier of
beet mosaic virus
•S
ow-thistle yellows virus and lettuce big-vein
virus can be spread to lettuce by Smooth
Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
•S
tatutory pest South American leaf miner
(Liromyza huidobrensis)
•G
lasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum)
•C
hrysanthemum leaf miner (Phytomyza
syngenesiae)
•L
ettuce root aphid (Pemphigus bursarius)
•C
hrysanthemum nematode (Aphelenchoides
ritzemabosi)
•C
•B
lackcurrant–Sow-thistle aphid (Hypermyzus
lactucae)
•T
hrips species will feed on pollen grains.
Annual Sow-thistle
10.C
Sonchus spp.
Cotyledons are narrow;
first leaves entire but
later ones entire or
shallowly-toothed or with
wavy margins or with a
single pair of deep lobes at
the base; hypocotyl short
11
10
96 11.A
Rumex spp.
Docks
Flowering profile
97

• Cotyledons narrow, long, medium size,
often deep purple to crimson
• Hypocotyl short but cotyledons carried above
the ground
• First true leaves initially rolled with frills, lance-shaped
•S pecies of docks can be difficult to distinguish
from each other at the cotyledon stage.
Broad-leaved docks (R. obtusifolius) have
broad lower leaves and thick clusters of
brownish-green flowers on tough upright
stems. Curled docks (R. crispus) have narrow
lance-shaped leaves with very waxy margins
and bear clusters of small greenish-red flowers.

• Generally, perennial weeds of meadows and
pastures where they can be a real problem.
R. crispus is found more on cultivated land
• Common weeds with a deep tap root found on
compacted clay loams, clay and heavier damp soils
• Spread by seed and by regenerated root fragments
• Seeds survive a long time in the soil; germination
pattern varies between plants, hence extended
germination period
• Can produce up to 40,000 seeds per plant per year.

•B
•B
lack-bean aphid (Aphis fabae), a carrier of beet
mosaic virus
•V
•C
lubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is capable
of infecting roots
•S
trawberry black spot (Colletotrichum acutatum)
•B
uds and stems host eggs of tarnished plant
bug (Lygus rugulipennis)
•S
•G
arden tiger moth (Arctia caja)
•S
wift moths (Hepialus lupulinus, H. humuli)
tunnel into roots.
Docks
11.A
Rumex spp.
98 11.B
Senecio vulgaris
Groundsel
Flowering profile
99

• Cotyledons oval, narrowing to a stalk
with purple underside
• Hypocotyl purplish, medium length, carries
the cotyledons just above the ground
• First true leaves step-like teeth and smooth
and stalkless
• Later leaves variable but always indented or
with teeth. May be with or without hairs.

• An annual or biennial with upright growth, small
yellow tubular flowers and a ragged appearance
• Widely distributed, especially on nurseries both
in propagation and in final production but also in
strawberry production where simazine has been
used extensively
• Prefers loose sandy loams or sands rich in
nutrients
• Smothers young plants
• Seeds are readily dispersed by the wind
• Shallow germination 1.5–2mm
• Flowers throughout the year, producing up to
1,200 seeds per plant

•R
ust species that can spread onto ornamental
grasses
•L
ettuce mosaic virus
•B
•S
•C
hrysanthemum blotch minor (Trypeta zoe)
•C
hrysanthemum leaf miner (Phytomyza
syngenesiae)
•B
ritzemabosi).
Groundsel
11.B
Senecio vulgaris
Cotyledons oval to long
oval; first true leaves entire
and hairless
12
11
102 12.A
Common sorrel
Rumex acetosa
Flowering profile
103

• Cotyledons oval to oblong
• First true leaves arrow-shaped

• A vigorous spreading low perennial with
numerous brownish/white flowers in elongated
heads on long stalks
• An occasional problem on nurseries due to
contaminated peat, less frequent in recent years
as peat quality has improved
• Spread by both seed and root fragments
• Once established in pots it can be impossible
to remove.

•V
•C
lubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) on root
hairs only
•B
•S
•G
arden tiger moth (Arctia caja).
Common sorrel
12.A
Rumex acetosa
104 12.B
Capsella bursa-pastoris
Shepherd’s-purse
Flowering profile
Weed germination profile
105

• Cotyledons oval, narrow, small, smooth with a
short stalk
• Hypocotyl short
• First true leaves elliptical with distinctive petioles,
grey-green with star-like hairs
• Later leaves variable in shape, usually much
divided, forming a rosette
• Can be difficult to distinguish from some other
weeds due to the variable shape of the leaves.

• An upright annual or biennial with a single or
branching stem
• Small white flowers that produce heart-shaped
seed pods borne along the entire length of the
flowering stem
• A problem weed of Brassica crops
• Can produce 2,000–40,000 seeds per plant,
which can emerge in seven days
• Seed can remain viable in the soil for 35 years
source for hoverflies
• Seeds eaten by predatory carabid beetles.

•B
•L
ettuce mosaic virus
•M
ealy cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae)
•B
lack-bean aphid (Aphis fabae)
•F
•C
abbage white caterpillars (Pieris brassicae
and Pieris rapae)
•T
urnip gall weevil (Ceutorhynchus pleuostigma)
•W
hite blister (Albugo candida)
•D
owny mildew (Peronospora parasitica).
Shepherd’s-purse
12.B
Capsella bursa-pastoris
106 12.C
Wild mignonette
Reseda lutea
Flowering profile
107

• Cotyledons oval-round to club-shaped with stalk
12mm long
• First true leaves initially round but later ones
oval-long, pointed, entire or slightly toothed.

• Annual found quite widely in England and Wales
on well-drained soils
• Common on sandy land in Nottingham and
troublesome to carrot growers
• Grows 30–100cm tall with a single stem or
spreading branches
• Shallow germination (<3cm).

•L
arge cabbage white butterfly (Pieris brassicae).
Wild mignonette
12.C
Reseda lutea
108 12.D
Field penny-cress
Thlaspi arvense
Flowering profile
109

• Cotyledons round-oval, medium size, light green
with long stalks. The tip often curves downwards
and quickly becomes discoloured
• Hypocotyl short
• First true leaves oval, light green, hairless with
slightly wavy margins
• Later leaves slightly wavy margins and have
projecting teeth at the tip
• Gives off an unpleasant smell when crushed.

• An erect leafed plant 20–30cm tall with white
flowers that produce flat, circular pods like
pennies
• A common weed of cultivated land, especially
in the south of England, and a problem where
intensive Brassica production is practised
• Likes sandy loams and is an indicator of
nutrient-rich soils
• Shallow germination 0–1cm depth

•D
owny mildew (Peronospora parasitica).
Field penny-cress
12.D
Thlaspi arvense
110 12.E
Common amaranth
Amaranthus retroflexus
Flowering profile
111

• Cotyledons oval/club-shaped, slender with a
long stalk
• First true leaves oval, with a shiny reddish
underside
• May have small indentation at the tip of the
mid-vein.

• Increasingly troublesome annual in nursery
stock with erect, branched, reddish stems, most
common in drier East Anglia
• Can grow up to two metres tall, with erect
branched reddish stems
• Germination between 0.5–3cm in late spring and
summer when soils are warm
• Frost will kill the seed but survival generally good
in the soil and in irrigation water
• Control with repeated cultivations of the soil.

•N
one known.
Common amaranth
12.E
Amaranthus retroflexus
112 12.F
Euphorbia peplus
Petty spurge
Flowering profile
113

• Cotyledons long oval, rounded at the tip carried
on medium length hypocotyl
• First true leaves oval, small, grass green with
short stalk, thin and soft, occasionally red.

• A common weed but not widespread on
cultivated land
• Pale yellowish-green flowers
• Stem branching from the base exuding milky
juice when broken
• Prefers damp environments on fresh to
moderately dry, well-aerated soils
• Shallow germination 0.5–1cm

•N
one known.
Petty spurge
12.F
Euphorbia peplus
Cotyledons sharply
pointed; first true leaves
entire and hairless
13
12
116 13.A
Sagina procumbens
Flowering profile
117

• Cotyledons needle-shaped usually uniformly less
than 1mm broad, circular in cross-section and a
few millimetres long
• First true leaves needle-shaped and circular in
cross section
• Later leaves long and ending in minute bristles.

• A vigorous low-growing perennial, spreading
from non-flowering, star-like rosettes and root
fragments, growing along plastic covers and
path edges
• A more recent problem on nurseries, particularly
in final production of nursery stock, but also in
newly potted stock, where it forms a dense mat,
choking young plants and affecting quality.

•N
one known.
13.A
Sagina procumbens
118 13.B
Scarlet pimpernel
Anagallis arvensis
Flowering profile
119

• Cotyledons triangular, broadest at base, pointed
at tip, small, dark green and shiny, close to the
ground
• Hypocotyl short
• First true leaves triangular, shiny, with dark spots
on the underside
• Later leaves triangular, shiny and hairless
• Chickweed is similar but its seedlings have a long
hypocotyl and are lighter green than those of
scarlet pimpernel.

• A prostrate annual of staggering growth, with
small bright red flowers carried on the stems
• Widespread weed of calcareous soils but has no
particular soil or climatic preferences
• Shallow germination (<2.5cm)
• Can produce up to 1,000 seeds per plant.

•S
Scarlet pimpernel
13.B
Anagallis arvensis
Cotyledons hairy;
first true leaves
entire and hairy
14
13
122 14.A
Anchusa arvensis
Bugloss
Flowering profile
123

• Cotyledons round-oval, narrowed into stalk,
pointed and hairy
• First true leaves long, narrow and pointed,
blue-green and rough to touch with tuberous
hairs
• Later leaves narrow, with numerous lobes,
shiny, strong aromatic smell.

• An erect very coarsely haired annual with
small deep blue flowers
• Prefers lime-deficient soils; dry to moderately
damp sandy and gravelly soils
• Seed germinates at a depth of 0–6cm
• Can produce 200–1,200 seeds per plant.

•N
one known.
Bugloss
14.A
Anchusa arvensis
124 14.B
Black nightshade
Solanum nigrum
Flowering profile
125

• Cotyledons sharply pointed, hairy, often purplish,
long stalk
• Hypocotyl short but cotyledons are carried above
the ground, often purplish
• First true leaves oval-shaped, pointed, hairy, dull
dark green, often with purplish tinge becoming
spade-shaped

• A widespread bushy annual weed of vegetable
crops, found in most of England, except the
north and only locally in Wales
• White flowers
• Can produce up to 400 poisonous black,
pea-sized berries, which may contain 40 seeds
• A particular problem in vining peas
• Prefers loose, permeable, weakly acid to alkaline
loams rich in nitrogen
• Can produce in excess of 500 seeds per plant

•C
orynebacterium michiganense, which can
attack tomatoes in soil
•P
otato cyst nematodes (Globodera spp.) will
also attack tomatoes.
Black nightshade
14.B
Solanum nigrum
126 14.C
Field forget-me-not
Myosotis arvensis
Flowering profile
127

• Cotyledons oval-round, very small and hairy,
slightly pointed when young becoming rounded
as they expand, on a short stalk
• Hypocotyl short, the seedling appearing close to
the ground
• First true leaves oval, hairy, slightly cupped and
they open one by one, not in pairs.

• A widespread small straggling biennial, hairy and
rough in appearance, with small blue flowers
• A common weed of arable land and becoming
increasingly frequent as it has no particular needs
• Can produce up to 3,000 seeds per plant, which
might germinate over a number of years.

•L
eaf-curling plum aphid (Brachycaudus
helichrysi).
Field forget-me-not
14.C
Myosotis arvensis
Cotyledons oval or
rounded; first true leaf
hairy with wavy or
shallowly irregular margins
15
14
130 15.A
Lapsana communis
Nipplewort
Flowering profile
131

• Cotyledons round-oval, narrowed into long
stalks, carried off the ground
• Hypocotyl very short
• First true leaves hairy with wavy, irregular
outline, blunt points, light green, appear singly
not in pairs
• Form yellowish-green rosettes

• A tall branching erect annual or biennial
with small yellow flowers
• Widespread weed but more frequent in
eastern England
• Likes light loam and sandy clay soils with
moderate levels of nitrogen
• Shallow germination in the spring
• Can produce approximately 600–700 seeds
per plant.

•N
one known.
Nipplewort
15.A
Lapsana communis
132 15.B
Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua
Flowering profile
133

• Cotyledons large, 10–12mm long and 8–10mm
wide, distinct yellow veins, hairy
• First true leaves oval, with few indentations, hairy
• Similar to Hemp nettle but yellow cotyledons of
Annual mercury distinguish it.

• Annual found south of a line from the Wash
to the River Severn, especially in Kent, on
loose sandy loams, where it is troublesome in
strawberry production and, to a lesser extent,
in cane and bush fruit
• Grows to a height of 35cm, with branched stems.

•N
one known.
Annual mercury
15.B
Mercurialis annua
True leaves with
stinging hairs on
the upper surface
16
15
136 16.A
Small nettle
Urtica urens
Flowering profile
137

• Cotyledons oval, small to medium size, narrowed
into stalk, held close to the ground, hairy,
notched at the tip
• First true leaves are oval, coarsely toothed with
pointed indentations, stinging hairs on the upper
surface, veins distinctly visible
• Perennial stinging nettle is similar but has shorter
cotyledons and less pointed teeth on the first
true leaves.

• An upright branching annual with clusters of
small green flowers
• Plant has tough yellow roots that can re-root at
the nodes giving rise to new shoots
• Widely distributed on land grown for vegetables
• Likes fresh humus, strongly nitrogenous, friable
soils
• Can produce 100–1,500 seeds per plant,
capable of germinating at low temperatures
• Seeds do not survive in the soil for long.

•N
norvegicus)
•B
•C
ommon green capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus).
Small nettle
16.A
Urtica urens
Cotyledon stalks as long
as or longer than the blade;
first true leaves hairy and
lobed or toothed
17
16
140 17.A
Veronica hederifolia
Flowering profile
141

• Cotyledons oval, very large and dull green, often
purple underside on a long curved stalk, pointed
at the tip with prominent mid vein
• Hypocotyl medium long
• First true leaves hairy, toothed near the base,
1–3 notches on both sides, appear in pairs
• Similar to Cleavers but Cleavers has a notch at
the end of the cotyledon.

• Widespread prostrate spreading annual with
small blue flowers that die away in mid-summer
but germinates over winter
• Likes warm conditions and loamy soils with
humus and nutrients
• Particular problem in overwintered vegetable
crops
• Germination in cold conditions, late autumn or
early spring, needing darkness but no depth of
soil

•C
olletotricum and rust (Puccinia malvacearum)
onto lavatera
•C
herry blackfly (Myzus cerasi) on young trees
and nursery stock
•B
ritzemabosi).
17.A
Veronica hederifolia
142 17.B
Galium aparine
Cleavers
Flowering profile
143

• Cotyledons oblong, large, notched at tip, dark
green, sometimes purplish
• First true leaves lance-shaped, hairy and in
whorls of four
• Stem is square and with hooked spines
• Later leaf shape is variable, toothed, whorl of
leaves around stem.

• A straggling climbing annual and perennial with
characteristic sticky hairs
• A common weed throughout the UK that
survives dry conditions well due to deep roots
• Prefers loams and clay soils that are well watered
• Germination depth shallow (1–5cm) but never on
the surface

•B
ritzemabosi)
•S
Cleavers
17.B
Galium aparine
144 17.C
Common mallow
Malva sylvestris
Flowering profile
145

• Cotyledons pear or heart-shaped, with rounded
apex and stalks as long as cotyledon
• First true leaves round to kidney-shaped and
divided with few hairs on leaf but many on stalk
• Crimson spot at the base of every leaf
• Ivy-leaved speedwell is similar but does not have
the spot on every leaf.

• Troublesome common biennial or perennial
especially in strawberry crops (particularly
following soil sterilisation) and, to a lesser extent,
in cane and bush fruit as well
• Found on open sunny light land in all lowland
arable areas

•S
acutatum).
Common mallow
17.C
Malva sylvestris
Cotyledons hairless; first
true leaves deeply lobed
18
17
148 18.A
Aphanes arvensis
Parsley-piert
Flowering profile
149

• Cotyledons round, small, bright green in colour,
hairless
• First true leaves three lobed, circular in outline,
bright bluish-green, hairy margins
• Later leaves spreading habit, each of the three
lobes is further divided into 5–7 parts.

• A very small prostrate annual with green
seed-like flowers on short erect stems
• Common throughout the UK
• Abundant in localised areas where soils are
moderately acidic
• Prefers nutrient-rich, lime-free loams and sandy
loams well supplied with water
• Germination in cool soil conditions early spring
and late autumn
• Shallow germination (<3mm).

•N
one known.
Parsley-piert
18.A
Aphanes arvensis
150 18.B
Aethusa cynapium
Fool’s parsley
Flowering profile
151

• Cotyledons long-oval, gradually narrowing into
a long stalk
• First true leaves with a round outline but
divided into three lobes with two to three deep
indentations, often shiny.

• An annual or biennial with an erect hollow
branched stem and an unpleasant smell
• Troublesome weed in carrot production, as
difficult to control with herbicides
• A common and widely distributed weed, except
locally in Scotland and northern England
• Prefers loose, neutral to alkaline loam soils
• Can produce 500 seeds per plant

•N
one known.
Fool’s parsley
18.B
Aethusa cynapium
152 18.C
Creeping buttercup
Ranunculus repens
Flowering profile
153

• Cotyledons oval, 5–7mm long with a stalk
• First true leaves deeply divided into three lobes,
soft hairs
• Later leaves smaller and deeply lobed on long
stalks.

• A weed associated most often with grass
meadows but will invade any open area by long
stolons to establish a new plant
• Prefers heavier damp land but will establish
anywhere in UK
• Spread by stolons and by seed dispersal
• Can produce 100–150 seeds per flowering shoot.

•V
•S
acutatum)
•P
oplar-buttercup aphid (Thecabius affinis)
•B
ritzemabosi).
Creeping buttercup
18.C
Ranunculus repens
Cotyledons shaped like
spades; first true leaves
in opposite pairs with
the margins shallowly
and regularly notched,
usually hairy
19
18
156 19.A
field-speedwell
Veronica persica
Common
Flowering profile
157

• Cotyledons spade-shaped, medium to large
and hairy
• First true leaves broadly oval with few hairs, short
stalked, in pairs

• A widespread prostrate annual with small blue
flowers that likes a certain amount of warmth
• Germinates in spring and summer
• Root fragments will re-root in damp conditions
• Prefers nutrient-rich, fresh damp soils
• Shallow germination (<3mm).

•C
herry blackfly (Myzus cerasi) on young trees
and nursery stock
•B
ritzemabosi).
Common
field-speedwell
19.A
Veronica persica
Cotyledons narrow; first
true leaves entire, later
ones divided often deeply
into several lobes
20
19
160 20.A
Common poppy
Papaver rhoeas
Flowering profile
161

• Cotyledons narrow, small, pointed without
petioles, bluish-green colour
• Hypocotyl short
• First true leaves lance-shaped, entire and hairy
• Later leaves indented and deeply divided.

• An upright annual with bristly stems and large
scarlet flowers with black centres
• Not competitive, found on disturbed soils
• A common weed of clay soils well supplied with
water, calcareous and rich in nutrients
• Shallow germination (<3cm) in spring and
autumn, needs light to germinate
• Will survive for a long time and may germinate in
large quantities after the soil has been disturbed
• Can produce in excess of 20,000 seeds
per plant

•B
lack-bean aphid (Aphis fabae) a carrier of
beet mosaic virus
•C
lubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is
capable of infecting roots
•T
arnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis).
Common poppy
20.A
Papaver rhoeas
First leaves woolly-hairy
and toothed
21
20
164 21.A
Tussilago farfara
Colt’s-foot
Flowering profile
165

• Cotyledons oval, large, rounded at the tip
• First true leaves oval, large, woolly or hairy,
narrowed onto the stalk
• Later leaves oval and toothed on the margin
becoming heart-shaped, angular with downy
hairs on the underside.

• A prostrate perennial with deep roots and
extensive underground stolons
• Sends up short thick flowering stems some
150mm tall, before leaves appear in the early
spring
• Not a widespread weed but can be propagated
by root fragments being spread across the field
during cultivation
• Prefers heavy, damp clay soils but is also found
on gravelly or stony, slightly acid loam soils
• Shallow germination at 0.5cm depth
• Can produce 3,500 seeds per shoot but most
often grows from rootstock.

•N
one known.
Colt’s-foot
21.A
Tussilago farfara
Cotyledons broader
than long and
asymmetrical; stalks
long and hairy
22
21
168 22.A
Geranium molle
Flowering profile
169

• Cotyledons roughly kidney-shaped but
asymmetrical, broader than long, notched
where leaf joins stalk, long stems with
conspicuous hairs
• First true leaves round outline but divided with
7–9 segments, soft erect hairs on both sides
• There are several Crane’s-bill species, which are
difficult to distinguish between.

• Increasingly common weed on arable land
• Small pink/violet flowers
• Prefers sunny, dry, sandy, loose soils

•S
acutatum)
•G
lasshouse and potato-aphid
(Aulacorthum solani).
22.A
Geranium molle
Cotyledons as broad
as long; first true leaf
entire and hairless
23
22
172 23.A
Willowherbs
Epilobium spp.
Flowering profile
173

• Cotyledons small, broad oval with rounded
tip and short stalk
• Hypocotyl very short, seedling close to the
ground
• First true leaves narrow, oval and pointed, shiny,
yellowish-green, also close to the ground
• Similar to Creeping yellow-cress but
Willowherbs are smaller and almost stalkless
at the cotyledon stage.

• Tall upright perennials with extensive creeping
rhizomes (Rosebay willowherb) that is widely
distributed throughout UK
• Rare on cultivated land but becoming
troublesome in daffodil production where the
crop is down for three years
• Increasing on nurseries both in production and
particularly outside in final production, usually on
acid, sandy-stony loam soils well supplied with
water and low in nutrients
• Seeds are dispersed over long distances
by the wind
• Shallow germination (<3cm).

•S
acutatum).
Willowherbs
23.A
Epilobium spp.
174 23.B
Rorippa sylvestris
Flowering profile
175

• Cotyledons small, round, long stalked
• First true leaves round to oval, long stalked
and later leaves deeply indented, often
olive-green colour
• Terminal leaflet large with three blunt flat lobes.

• Perennial with creeping roots and golden
yellow flowers that is becoming increasingly
troublesome in strawberry and raspberry
production
• Likes damp light soils high in nitrogen, such
as silt fens
• Flowers act as important pollen source for a
wide diversity of insects including honeybees.

• None known.
23.B
Rorippa sylvestris
The first true leaf is
composed of two or
three leaflets; cotyledons
round-oval or remain
below the ground
24
23
178 24.A
Oxalis corniculata
yellow-sorrel
Procumbent
Flowering profile
179

• Cotyledons round-oval, with medium stalk
• First true leaf trifoliate (with three distinct equal
leaflets), heart-shaped, hairy, leaflets folded
downwards in cloudy weather and in the
evening, stem and petioles often red-violet.

• A low creeping annual with small yellow
cup-shaped flowers
• An occasional problem on nurseries, notably
under protection
• Spread in contaminated peat from rooted stems
or seed
• All species thrive in damp conditions
• Difficult to hand weed.

•N
one known.
Procumbent
yellow-sorrel
24.A
Oxalis corniculata
180 24.B
Common vetch
Vicia sativa
Flowering profile
181

• Cotyledons remain below the ground
• First true leaves have two leaflets
• Hairy tare (Vicia hirsuta) is similar but has four
leaflets in opposite pairs.

• An overwintering summer annual or biennial with
a single or branched stem with tendrils
• Widespread in some areas
• Prefers loose loams and sandy loams rich in
nutrients.

•C
lover rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum) of legumes.
Common vetch
24.B
Vicia sativa
Miscellaneous weeds of
importance in horticulture
that are easily identifiable
25
24
184 25.A
Goat willow
Salix caprea
Flowering profile
185

• Leaves oval with pointed tips, hairless above,
downy grey beneath, youngest leaves also
reddish tinged
• Strong sturdy stem and vigorous rooting.

• A problem on nurseries situated near willow
plantings as the wind-borne fluffy seeds can
travel some distance
• Newly-potted stock provides ideal conditions for
seed establishment, which is rapid
• Removal while still at the young plant stage is
essential due to very deep rooting ability.

•B
rown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)
•T
wo-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)
and western flower thrips (Frankliniella
occidentalis).
Goat willow
25.A
Salix caprea
186 25.B
Equisetum arvense
Field horsetail
Flowering profile
187

• Pointed green shoots with folded needle-like
leaves pointing upward around the stem
• Shoots attached to rhizomes, which my be
extensive and reach a depth of 1.5 metres
• Plant has a fern-like appearance when fully
mature.

• Troublesome very deep rooted rhizomatous
perennial of uncultivated land that encroaches
into field margins, propagation areas, perennial
crops including fruit production and nursery
stock growing to 20cm
• Active from February–November in any soils with
low fertility
• The main method of spread is by vegetative
reproduction of detached rhizomes and tubers in
March–May and again from October–November
• Fertile single cone can produce 100,000 spores,
which are usually short‑lived.

•N
one known.
Field horsetail
25.B
Equisetum arvense
188 25.C
eg Funaria hygrometrica
Mosses
Flowering profile
189

• A thin hairy green film developing into a dense
matted layer or mounded clumps over the
growing media surface.

• Widely distributed on nurseries, especially
where plants are held for long periods in acidic
growing media
• Small brown-stalked sporophores can be seen
when the moss is mature
• Spores are spread by wind and water splash
• Minimise by keeping growing media surface dry
and remove from old stock.

•N
one known.
Mosses
25.C
eg Funaria hygrometrica
190 25.D
Marchantia polymorpha
Liverwort
Flowering profile
191

• A thick, slimy green layer over the surface of
growing media from which surface-stalked,
umbrella-like, spore-producing bodies can be
seen when mature.

• Widely distributed on nurseries where
over-watering is practised, particularly in nursery
stock propagation and protected production,
leading to suppressed growth of liners
• Small bud-like gemmae are produced in the
umbrella-like fruiting bodies that develop on short
stalks from the main growth
• The fruiting bodies also contain spores, which
are dispersed by wind or water when mature
• Difficult to remove by hand even when dead.

•T
he growth provides shelter for shore flies
(Scatella spp.) and sciarid flies (Sciaridae).
Liverwort
25.D
Marchantia polymorpha
Grass weeds can be
competitive at the early
stages of crop growth
and control may depend
on correct identification.
Three species of grasses
are considered important
enough to be included
26
25
194 26.A
Annual meadow-grass
Poa annua
Flowering profile
195

• First leaf erect with broad upper part tapering
abruptly to a blunt point
• Leaf folded not rolled
• Leaf blade light green with boat-shaped tip, often
crinkled, hairless, tramlined and slightly keeled
• Auricles absent
• Ligules medium length, 2.5mm, roundly
pointed and serrated
• Spikelets branched and spreading, triangular in
outline containing 3–10 flowers.

• Small, loosely tufted annual or short-lived
perennial that is troublesome throughout the
year in many drilled vegetable crops and in
nursery stock propagation units, as it smothers
young plants
• Difficult to hand weed once established
• Can produce up to 500 seeds per plant
throughout the year
• Seed can survive in the soil for up to five years
• Seeds eaten by carabid beetles.

•S
hallot aphid (Myzus ascalonicus)
•E
rgot (Claviceps purpurea).
Annual meadow-grass
26.A
Poa annua
196 26.B
Common couch
Elytrigia repens
Flowering profile
197

• First leaf tall with narrow leaves
• Aerial shoots from rhizomes are dark green,
tapering to a point
• Leaf rolled not folded
• Leaf blade dull green, long, flat and tapering to a
sharp point, usually hairy
• Auricles short and pointed
• Ligules very short, 1mm and blunt
• Spikelets are arranged in two alternate and
opposite rows close to the stem with their flat
side next to the stem.

• Troublesome perennial of cultivated land that
spreads by long stout, sharply pointed, white
rhizomes that are difficult to control in all crops
• Cultivation will encourage the infestation as the
cut rhizomes will re-root
• Can produce 50 seeds per plant
• Seed germinate from up to 6cm and can survive
in the soil for five years.

•V
•S
wift moths (Hepialus lupulinus and H. humuli)
•E
rgot (Claviceps purpurea)
•T
ake-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis) of
cereals.
Common couch
26.B
Elytrigia repens
198 26.C
Avena fatua
Wild-oat
Flowering profile
199

• At second true leaf stage, the leaf twists
anticlockwise
• Leaf rolled not folded
• Leaf blade broad, flat, rough, pale blue/green,
fringed leaf margin, hairless
• Auricles absent
• Ligules long up to 6mm, blunt
• Spikelets are striped with whitish lines and bear
2–3 flowers. Each flower bears a strong, twisted,
bent awn all borne on a large spreading panicle
• Leaves of wheat and barley are similar but leaves
twist clockwise and have no auricles.

• Widespread weed across UK in all arable areas
• Seed can remain dormant in the soil for up to
10 years emerging from up to 15cm depth.

•S
•E
rgot (Claviceps purpurea).
Wild-oat
26.C
Avena fatua
Importance
of each weed
26
202
Importance of
each weed
Table 1. Relative importance of each
weed in each horticultural sector
Horticultural sector
Soft fruit
Tree fruit
Bedding
Nursery stock
Field vegetables
Annual meadow-grass
Annual mercury
Annual Sow-thistles
Black bindweed
Black nightshade
Bugloss
Canadian fleabane
Charlock
Cleavers
Colt’s-foot
Common amaranth
Common chickweed
Common couch
Common
field-speedwell
Common fumitory
Common hemp-nettle
Common mallow
Common mouse-ear
chickweed
Common orache
Common poppy
Common sorrel
Not very important
Moderately important
Very important
i
203
Soft fruit
Tree fruit
Bedding
Nursery stock
Field vegetables
Common vetch
Corn chamomile
Corn marigold
Corn mint
Corn spurrey
Creeping buttercup
Creeping thistle
Dandelion
Docks
Dove’s-foot
Crane’s-bill
Fat hen
Field bindweed
Field forget-me-not
Field horsetail
Field pansy
Field penny-cress
Fool’s parsley
Goat willow
Groundsel
Hairy bitter-cress
Henbit dead-nettle
Not very important
Very important
ii
204
Soft fruit
Tree fruit
Bedding
Nursery stock
Field vegetables
Knot-grass
Liverwort
Mosses
Nipplewort
Oilseed rape
Pale persicaria
Parsley-piert
Petty spurge
Pineappleweed
Procumbent
yellow-sorrel
Red dead-nettle
Redshank
Scarlet pimpernel
Scentless mayweed
Shepherd’s-purse
Small nettle
White campion
Wild-oat
Wild mignonette
Wild radish (Runch)
Willowherbs
Not very important
Very important
iii
205
Non-chemical
weed control
Importance
of each weed
208
Non-chemical
weed control
Table 2. Ease of non-chemical weed control
first true leaf stage
Consider control before
true leaf stage

no later than second
Consider control
3– 4 true leaf stage

Consider control at
Flame
Brush weeder
Steerage hoe
Stale seedbed
Hand weed
Annual meadow-grass
Annual mercury N/A N/A N/A N/A
Annual Sow-thistles
Black bindweed
Black nightshade
Bugloss
Canadian fleabane N/A N/A N/A N/A
Charlock
Cleavers
Colt’s-foot N/A N/A
Common amaranth N/A N/A N/A N/A
Common chickweed
Common couch
Common
field-speedwell
Common fumitory
Common hemp-nettle
Common mallow N/A N/A N/A N/A
Common mouse-ear
chickweed
Common orache
Common poppy
Common sorrel N/A N/A N/A N/A
Common vetch N/A N/A N/A N/A
Corn chamomile
iv
Corn marigold
209

Consider control
true leaf stage
Consider control at
Stale seedbed
Brush weeder
Steerage hoe
Hand weed
Flame
Corn mint N/A

Corn spurrey
Creeping buttercup N/A N/A N/A
Creeping thistle
Creeping yellow-cress N/A N/A N/A N/A
Dandelion
Docks
Dove’s-foot
Crane’s-bill
Fat hen
Field bindweed
Field forget-me-not
Field horsetail
Field pansy
Field penny-cress
Fool’s parsley
Goat willow N/A N/A N/A N/A
Groundsel
Hairy bitter-cress N/A N/A N/A N/A
Henbit dead-nettle
Knot-grass
Liverwort N/A N/A N/A N/A
Mosses N/A N/A N/A N/A
Nipplewort N/A N/A N/A N/A
Oilseed rape
Pale persicaria
v
210
true leaf stage

Consider control

Consider control at
Flame
Brush weeder
Steerage hoe
Stale seedbed
Hand weed
Parsley-piert
Petty spurge
Pineappleweed
Procumbent pearlwort N/A N/A N/A
Procumbent N/A N/A N/A N/A
yellow-sorrel
Red dead-nettle
Redshank
Scarlet pimpernel N/A N/A N/A N/A
Scentless mayweed
Shepherd’s-purse
Small nettle
White campion N/A N/A
Wild-oat
Wild mignonette
Wild radish (Runch)
Willowherbs
Easy
Moderate
Difficult
N/A Information not available or weed

vi
unlikely to occur in this situation

211
Flame
Used to kill weed seedlings before they have
emerged and up to first true-leaf stage. Repeat
application after 48–60 hours kills weeds that were
germinated by the first pass. More effective on
broad flat-leaved weeds.
Brush weeder
Rotating brushes used inter-row on drilled crops
that uproots the weeds close to the crop rows.
Can be used when soil is too wet to use a
mechanical hoe.
Steerage hoe
Undercut the roots of established weeds working
at 2–4cm depth and smothers smaller weeds with
soil. Various blade shapes are used to get close to
the rows.
Stale seedbed
A seedbed prepared several days, weeks or
months before planting or drilling a crop to kill
established small weeds and deplete the seedbank
in the surface layers of the soil. Weeds controlled
by repeat cultivations or chemicals.
Hand weed
Frequently used to deal with those weeds left in
the row after the inter-row treatment. Weeds easier
to grip if larger but needs to be balanced with
rooting depth.
vii
Additional
information
Non-chemical
weed control
214
Acknowledgements
The production of this identification guide is

the culmination of much searching through
image libraries and consulting extensively
within available reference material. Our
particular thanks go to Nigel McDonald, ADAS
Consultant, who led this project and spent
considerable efforts and energies making
this publication the clear and concise guide
that it is. Nigel’s input to this project included
sowing seeds of the more difficult species to
source as images. We very much appreciate
this ‘above and beyond the call of duty’, which
enabled this guide to come to fruition.
As mentioned, this guide pulls on the
resources of several image libraries. We are
very grateful for their help with this project and
strongly advise anyone requiring weed-related
images to contact the following organisations,
all of whom offer a helpful and rapid service:
The Food and Environment Research
Agency (Fera)
0300 100 0321 fera.co.uk
FLPA Images
01728 860789 pictures@flpa-images.co.uk
ADAS UK Ltd
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AHDB
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Weed Identification Pocket Guide

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Weed Identification Pocket Guide

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GUIDE

Key features of weeds

Identification groups key

Importance of each weed

Non-chemical weed control

A pocket guide to aid the

How best to use this pocket guide

The weeds are grouped (1–26), by common

When more detail is required about a specific

Weeds as alternative hosts to

Importance of weed species in each sector

Non-chemical weed control

Broad-leaved weed seedlings

Looking at the weed, what are its most striking

What is the cotyledon shape?

Are the cotyledons large or small?

Are they close to the ground or up from it?

Are there other distinctive markings on the

The first true leaves:

Distinguishing features from similar weeds are

Young and mature grasses in this guide can be

Leaves may be folded (top) or rolled (bottom) in the stem.

Identification groups 1–26

Cotyledons oval with a

Features to aid identification at early stage

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Cotyledons oval with a

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed

Hosts for pest or disease

Features to aid identification

Significant features of the weed